HSFT Stop No. 4: Okolona

OKOLONA, Miss. (WCBI) — Okolona head football coach Anthony Watt is entering his third year at the helm of the team. This is the first group of seniors he sees developing into leaders.

“When they came in, some of them were short and chubby, but now they’ve grown and shaped up,” Watt said. “They’re a more mature group, they approach their business in a different way.”

The rapport between Watt and the elders didn’t happen overnight, but now they’re like family.

“It was a little slow at first, but we got back into the swing of things and now he’s like a father figure,” senior lineman Silas Jones said.

It cannot be overstated how much simpler things are now that players know exactly what is expected of them.

“At first, when I was a new coach, everything was new, but as we got to know him, it got easier and easier,” senior center Tyler Adair said.

The Chieftains only have four seniors on their roster. They all grew up together, so their bond extends well beyond the field.

“I look at them in the hallway and you won’t see one without the other,” Watt said. “If you ask where J’von is, he’s going around the corner or down the path.”

Although they are few in number, leaders nevertheless have a huge impact on the team on a daily basis.

“If we slack off, they will too,” Jones said. “We hold them accountable and they hold us accountable.”

Okolona won his first playoff game under Watt last season and is looking to use that as a springboard for 2024.

“It gives us the motivation that if everybody puts their heart into it, then we can do it as a team,” senior linebacker J’von Gates said.

The Chiefs open the season at home against North Pontotoc.